The Fourth Eaton

Chapter 12 🔪 Rumors

AN: Hey everyone! Sorry, it's been another busy three weeks. Like, come on, can't a girl get a break?

New big thing in my life: Marching competitions. They take place on Saturday, and usually take all day, early morning to late at night. For those of you who aren't familiar with marching band contests, there are general rankings and specific caption awards, like Best in Woodwinds, Best in Brass, etc. The top 10 in general rankings go to finals. There are also different classes, based on the size of the band. Like, 4A would be a smaller band, and 6A would be a larger one.

Our first one was last weekend. We placed 10th in both prelims and finals. Our second one was this Saturday, and we placed 2nd in prelims, as well as best in class for our class, 5A. In finals, we dropped a place, to 3rd, but it was still a really good rank. And our next one is UIL, this coming Saturday. The most important one. Oh, joy. At least it won't take the entire day this time.

Anyways, my venting about my personal life is over. Enjoy the chapter!

The first thing I see is a face.

I squeal and push myself backwards, trying to get away from the person hovering above me.

The person bursts out laughing. Wait. I know that laugh.

I squint, trying to focus my bleary morning-vision. Once I do, I can't help but chuckle as well. The person hovering above me was Julia.

"Well, that's efficient." Julia chokes out through her laughter.

I reach forward and punch her shoulder lightly. "Why?"

"You were sleeping like a log, which was strange. From what I've seen until now, you've always been a light sleeper."

She's right. I am usually a light sleeper. I guess I picked that up from the years spent in Marcus' house. I always wanted to be awake if he walked into my room, or, even worse, Tobias', during the night. There was no saying what he might do.

"Yeah, I am."

Julia nods and continues. "So, anyway, you were just not waking up, and we had an hour until training began, and so I climbed on top of you to try and tickle you or something."

My eyes widen. "Whoa, hold on. You were planning to tickle me awake?"

She grins at me slyly. "It was final yet, but yeah. In my defense, I really wanted to get some breakfast before training, and you were severely hindering my chances of that. But, turns out, it wasn't necessary."

I shove her backwards a little. "You are terrible."

"And yet you tolerate me." Julia puts on an innocent face and clambers off my bed.

I look around, realizing what just ran through my thoughts. My bed. I'm in the dormitory, but how? The last thing I remember was drifting off in Tobias' arms at our spot in the Chasm.

I'll have to ask him later. I store it away in my mind and get up. Luckily, I already have my clothes on, because I sleep in them. As much as I dislike many parts of Abnegation, many of its habits have stayed with me, just like Tobias.

I grab my hairbrush and run it through my hair a few times, then pull it back in a ponytail. As much as I would love to let it hang free, it will just hinder me during my fight today.

"Let's go." I tell Julia, who is patiently standing beside me.

She extends her arm and links it with mine, and I'm momentarily stunned. She's doing this because she wants to, not because she has to. Julia wants to stand beside me as my friend, beside the broken, abused Abnegation girl.